Trust issues
by xxAwEs0meLIFE13xx
Summary: Jack has been having dreams for a while about a woman with ice powers like his own. He's been unable to communicate until now. After seeing Elsa attack her sister, Jack knows he must act. Seeking the truth behind the acident from Elsa and Anna's past will stir up old enemies and fears once again. Who can Jack really trust, the dreams or Elsa herself?
1. Dream or Nightmare?

There she was. Just like last time, she stood facing away from Jack, gazing out to the horizon. The jutting cliff upon which she stood, stuck out from the mountain like the bottom lip of a sulking child. Her slender figure was silhouetted against a backdrop of orange, pink and crimson sky. A long white braid lay coiled between her shoulder blades, rising and falling with every breath, like a sleeping snake. Jack hurried forward, staff in hand. He was sure that tonight he'd finally be able to talk to her. Every night for a week, he'd revisited this very cliff with the roiling water churning beneath them and seen the same woman. Never once had she turned to face him. Never once had she uttered answer that would satisfy his questions. Who was she? Why was she up on that cliff top? But most feverishly he wanted to know why she visited him in dreams.

Being careful not to alarm her, Jack hovered over the icy rocks and moved closer. Her dress was entirely made of interlocking snowflakes that sparkled in the evening light. The long braid was a similar colour to Jack's own white hair, if not even purer. He was now an arm's length away. The woman still stared pointedly ahead, unaware of Jack. Brushing his spiky blond hair from his eyes, he inhaled deeply and laid a hand on her shoulder.

She spun around. Jack flinched back, as if he had been struck. Her eyes were navy blue slits, they seemed to try and suck out Jack's very soul. Bloodless lips hovered inches from his, the blue tinge made him think of the river into which he had fallen as a child. His gaze roved across her dark features, drawn irresistibly back to her cat-like eyes.

Jack opened his mouth a fraction. All the questions teeming within him fought to escape, faltering only as a small voice asked, "Elsa, what are you doing up here?"

Jack sprung round, a diminutive girl with two ginger plaits framing each of her rosy cheeks scampered forward. She moved swiftly over the ice, toward the woman. Jack expected to hear a kindly greeting from the elder of the sisters, but was surprised when none was forthcoming. It was obvious that the woman bore no love for her. Without warning, she jabbed her spindly arm at the child. A burst of ice shot from it, striking the child's head. She tumbled, head over heels until landing in a heap. Jack tried to reach her but talon-like claws wrenched him away. With a look of evil content etched into her face, Elsa glared deep into his eyes. A faint fluttering started in Jack's heart: hatred.

Jack felt a firm hand on his shoulder. It shook him violently from side to side, forcing him from the cliff top, and away from the murder. He struggled, already knowing it to be in vain. Every muscle in his body was taunt, to the point where it had become almost brittle. Blinking once or twice to clear his frosty vision, Jack awoke. Finding himself curled up tightly on a pile of snow, Jack realised he was not alone. North's gigantic face leered down at him, his sparkling eyes narrowed with concern. It was his bear-like paw that had awoken him but Jack could spare no anger toward him at the moment. His thoughts burned hotly at the thought of this 'Elsa'.

" How're you feeling Jack? You were shouting and screaming blue murder, are you alright?" Despite, his rough demeanour, North spoke with a gentle voice that slightly unnerved Jack. Hastily sweeping his hair from his clammy forehead, Jack saw Tooth hovering behind him and Bunny behind her. He nodded in answer. Wringing his hands anxiously, Jack searched around for his staff. He saw it concealed within North's bulky fur coat, the abnormal bulge was tall and hooked at the end.

" Hey North, can I have my staff back? I hope you were planning to give it back to me, right?"

" Of course I was!" Said North in an indignant voice before quickly dropping back into the tamed, friendly one,

"Your dream was about Pitch, wasn't it? Is he back? Is he planning anything?" Tooth cringed a little, as if recalling their last encounter with Pitch Black, the Bogey Man. Jack hesitated slightly and didn't answer him. Oblivious to Tooth's discomfort, North continued,

" Was there black sand in your dream, any at all? Tell us Jack!" Slightly befuddled Jack thought back, but couldn't remember anything that would hint at Pitch's intrusion.

" No, it wasn't Pitch. It was a woman," Jack swallowed down hard, suppressing the torrent of rage building within him,

" She had powers- ice powers like mine. I saw her stand on a cliff top and… this small girl, who I think was her sister, came running over. The woman, s-s-she struck the child, I tried to help… but you," Jack jabbed an index finger at North,

"…dragged me away before I had the chance."


	2. Man in the Moon

"The girl was defenceless! No threat whatsoever." Jack paced up and down. He wielded his staff angrily sending flurries of snowflakes in all directions.

"I mean, is Elsa even mortal? If she's purely evil then shouldn't I do something to stop her?"

" Stop it Jack. We all know you're upset, but just give the Man in the Moon a chance to answer…" Tooth laid a consoling hand on Jack's forearm, gently guiding his staff to a less aggressive pose. Jack nodded numbly and sat down, crossed his legs and rested his staff across his knees.

He was already regretting his choice to accompany the other guardians back to the North Pole. Talking to the Man in the Moon was already a tricky business, which required time and patience. Jack, for the moment, had none.

What if Elsa extended her reign of terror? How many lives would be lost whilst he waited for an answer?

North also seemed to have doubts. Flourishing his two swords as if battling an invisible enemy, he kept glancing up into the darkening sky. Although he believed Elsa to be in league with Pitch Black, Jack was glad that someone else had a similar urge to act.

Finally, the moon's face peered down at the gathered guardians. North spoke gravely,

" Manny, what must we do about this Elsa? Has she joined forces his Pitch Black? My belly tells me it is so… but we'd like to hear it from you."

If Jack had been less wrapped up in his thoughts, he would have observed the dark shadow passing across the moon's surface.

Then, a narrow beam of light shone down onto the floor. Intrigued, Jack leant closer. A multi-dimensional Elsa was rising from the floor: head first followed by her shoulders and signature braid, then her torso, legs and high-heeled shoes. Jack bit into his cheek, and consciously made himself relax his grip on his staff. Elsa turned to face him… but her eyes were not alike those of a cat. They were round and full and the iris was a brilliant turquoise.

" Her eyes are different! In my dream they were thinner and she was… she looked," Jack gestured wildly before lamely adding,

"… eviler."

Tooth flitted closer to Elsa, scrutinising her from head-to-toe before reaching out towards her. As Tooth's feathery arm brushed against her, Elsa spun around with an anxious frown. She couldn't see the Guardian's but searched around nevertheless. North spoke up at the moon,

" Manny, this isn't helpful. She doesn't look like a threat but in Jack's dream she killed a child. Please, this could be serious!"

Seconds passed, and Elsa grew more and more distressed. A second figure rose from the floor beside her, Jack recognised the two ginger plaits instantly.

" But how is this even possible? She's supposed to be dead! Elsa struck her! I don't understand."

The moon's light waned and the glittering figures disappeared as quickly as they had come. Jack tried unsuccessfully to grab them, but he couldn't grasp anything besides thin air. Embracing his knees, Jack bowed his head in thought.

He didn't know the answers. The Man in the Moon was struggling to send coherent advice but Jack knew what he needed to do.

" I'm going to see Elsa."


	3. Acting Alone

" Seriously?" The Easter Bunny stood over the brooding Jack, looking rather intimidating with his boomerangs in paw.

"You're just gonna walk up to a potential killer and expect to find all the answers?" Resting on his haunches, Bunny gave Jack a searching look.

"Think it through mate. It's not worth it." Silence. It was a few moments before he conceded that Jack would continue with his plans nevertheless. Bunny rose, turned his back on Jack and motioned the other Guardians into a huddle. Meanwhile, cogs whirred quietly in Jack's mind as he puzzled over how to actually find Elsa.

Could the dream cliff be somewhere in reality? Where? Exactly how should he approach Elsa; with deliberation or with caution?

Leaping noiselessly to his feet, Jack sauntered over to the window. He needed to clear his head. The surrounding icy landscape filled him with confidence. Here, at the heart of the North Pole, ice was established and never fully melted in summer. His staff pulsed gently like a second heartbeat as Jack jumped from the window pane. Hovering in the air, kept aloft by the Wind, Jack breathed in the crisp air. Perhaps Elsa also yearned for a place to call home. A place of resbite and peace...

" You see Bunny! I told you if we turned our backs that Jack would go without us." Jack inclined his head towards North's voice; it was barely audible over the roaring wind.

" Hey, hey, hey. Calm down he can't have gone too far." Replied Bunny, " Look, if he has gone already we'll be able to find him." Although Bunny's reassurance seemed to satisfy North's worries, it only intensified Tooth's.

" Jack! Where are you? Oh, he couldn't have gone without us, could he? We work together!" Only the anxiety in Tooth's voice was enough to stir Jack from his stupor. Like a fish caught fast on a hook he was dragged back inside. Jack inhaled deeply and spoke,

" I'm still here."

The Guardians converged on Jack, relief on all their faces. " Alright guys, back up! Give me some space please. I need to talk to you. All of you. Now." Disentangling himself from their clutches, Jack brushed himself down and looked about him. North, Bunny and Tooth readily returned his gaze.

" I think you already know what I'm going to tell you. I've got to find Elsa on my own." Tooth muffled her sobs with her dainty hands and North wrapped an arm around her shoulders. " I don't know where she is. I don't know how to stop her. But I know that I can do it! All I want from you guys is your trust and faith, please. I need to do it alone." With her chest heaving, Tooth smiled tearily at Jack. Flinging her arms around him, she buried her feathery face against his hoodie. Unnoticed by Jack, Tooth slipped her clenched hand into his pocket. North and Bunny exchanged a glance as she withdrew.

" I'll be fine. Honestly. I've survived Pitch so I can survive whatever this Elsa can throw at me. See you soon."

Giving one last reassuring smile to his friends Jack cartwheeled out the window.


	4. Queen's dreams

If Jack's mind hadn't been occupied with thoughts of Elsa, he'd surely be wondering why the Guardian's let him go so easily. But as it was, Jack felt overwhelmed with the task ahead.

He needed to locate a potentially dangerous adversary who may or may not even exist, and try to deter her from evil.

Jack nestled into the crook of a tree branch and drew his hood over his head. He'd flown many miles since leaving the Pole. Shockwaves of frost coursed through his staff into the branch of a neighbouring oak: the bark ruptured before freezing solid. Jack rarely ever felt the need to sleep or to rest. But tonight he decided to make an exception. If dreams could alert him to her actions maybe they could tell him where she was! The prospect of seeing Elsa again wasn't pleasing but dreams were Jack's only lead...

A mouse running through the undergrowth, the distant cooing of a wood pigeon and even the rustling of leaves made Jack jump to attention.

" This is stupid." He said aloud to no-one in particular, " I'm such a wreck that I can't even sleep!" Settling back against the tree trunk, he amused himself by creating small snowflakes and sending them somersaulting into the night. The Wind whisked them away and Jack wished for something to whisk all his problems away too. Unsurprisingly, nothing did.

* * *

Back at the North Pole... Bunny, North and Tooth were once again looking up into the bright face of the Moon.

" Do you think he's noticed yet?" Asked Tooth meekly, as if she were afraid to break the silence enveloping them,

"Nah," Bunny replied, not looking up from polishing his broomrangs.

North shook his head groggily and averted his gaze from the heavens back to the earth. " Jack'll be too fixated with this Elsa issue to notice anything. But that was such a good idea Tooth, I suppose she'll give him company?"

" Yeah, I hope so. Baby Tooth was ever so quiet when I put her in his pocket... you don't think she could have suffocated do you?"

* * *

Meanwhile...

From the city nearby came the sound of infectious yawning, followed by snores and snorts that could only be elicited by slumber. The subjects of Arendelle were no longer plagued with Elsa's unintentional winter and could sleep peacefully. But Queen Elsa herself lay wide-awake. Life had flourished under her reign since the incident concerning herself, Anna, Kristoff and Hans; but the fear of a reoccurrence hadn't been quelled over time.

She'd withdrawn to the sanctuary of her ice palace as her physical deterioration was starting to show. Her long silver hair was tangled, as it had not seen the bristles of a hairbrush for weeks and its silvery hue had also suffered from the neglect. Now, her hair resembled that of an elderly woman. And Elsa's spectacular ice dress, that had once framed every curve of her figure, now hung from her lean frame like a lamp shade. Elsa was afraid.

Ever since the first dream she'd felt threatened. The boy with the rugged white hair wielding a crooked staff had haunted every sleeping and waking moment. He'd never appeared in the same place twice, and his surroundings were as varied as the contrasting colours of sunrise and sunset.

He was searching for her.

The last dream, or nightmare as far as Elsa was concerned, had taken her into a forest. Once again, the boy had been there. His face was haggard and lined with fatigue as if he too regarded sleep as an enemy. The closer Elsa got to the mysterious boy; she saw more reasons to be afraid. The crooked staff seemed to channel his ice powers better than Elsa's palms had ever channelled hers. And he had no qualms about killing or striking out at every noise: no mouse, cooing pidgeon or rustling leaf was safe...

Pulling the bed sheets over her head, she snuggled deeper into a nest of cushions. Her breath hung in the air; little frosted clouds that instead of dissipating  
only grew. Fear fluttered in her chest. Like a frightened butterfly was trapped within her ribcage... Elsa watched transfixed. The clouds were starting to pick up speed. A sparkling vortex was forming in the centre of the writhing cloud, and it was expanding. And morphing. Soon, it's shape was becoming too clear to dismiss as a dream. The clouds had formed the distinct silhouette of Jack Frost.

" No, this can't be happening. It's just another dream- only a dream..." Elsa squeezed her eyes shut but the silhouette remained inprinted in her mind's eye. With trembling hands she wafted at the cloud boy. Time passed as she fought in vain against the fresh onslaught of fear.

Sleep was beginning to strengthen it's grip over Elsa; pulling at her eye lids and rendering her muscles useless. The full moon glowed down through the skylight directly above Elsa's bed but its reassuring radiance was wasted... as Elsa had already been seduced into a deep slumber.

Light. Everywhere. Elsa blinked repeatedly to clear her misty vision. She was stood in the vestibule of her ice palace. The pure, white light of morning filtered through the roof and bounced around the icy interior. Elsa walked tentatively across to the balcony and pushed open the doors. The mysterious boy… wasn't there. Inhaling deeply Elsa allowed relief to momentarily cross her face. There were no shadows for him to hide in either. Her tension ebbed away.

Leaning over the barrier, Elsa gazed out across towards Arendelle. Even from this distance Elsa could see the smoke curling up from numerous chimney's like the nostrils of a sleeping dragon. The North Mountain, upon which her ice castle stood, glared condesendingly down from high at the settlement. Elsa felt the breath of wind on her face and sighed. The unusual tranquility was perfect for healing her frightened spirit.

Suddenly, Elsa felt her braid unravelling of its own accord. Her eyes flicked open, her pupils widened with trepidation. Soft hands were running through her hair, like a lover. Without agrivating her scalp, they were untangling her knotted locks. She spun around. It was the boy.


	5. When a star dies

**I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. I've let other things crop up instead of updating new chapters, sorry again. I've lost faith in this fanfic but I decided that I'd write one last piece.**

**This chapter continues from the point where Jack is no longer afraid of Elsa, as he knows the truth about Anna (watch the film if you're unsure about I'm talking about). The dreams/nightmares that have visited both Elsa and Jack were engineered by Pitch Black in an attempt for them to kill each other. However, he goes (in peace) to visit Elsa, only to find Pitch Black's demons attacking her. Trouble ensues...**

* * *

Cold, blue fury glinted in Elsa's eyes as she reached out a long arm, her fingers splayed. A silvery burst sprung from her palm, shooting toward the taller demon. Deadly airborne icicles smashed into the wall, where the his head had been moments before. Elsa gritted her teeth and aimed again. The icy blast caught him off balance, sending him reeling backwards.

" Please get away, I don't want to do this!" Trying to keep both of her attackers in sight, Elsa backed away slowly. Her arms, encased in her glittering sleeves, were still outstretched warily. The taller demon regained his footing quickly, and despite the ominous cracking sound below him, rejoined his companion. The twosome stood shoulder to shoulder, their crossbows primed and ready. Elsa narrowed her eyes with grim resolve. Swiftly, she clenched her fist and punched upwards. From her knuckles came a jet of blue tinged ice, it hit the ceiling. Crack! Large misshapen chunks plummeted down at the two demons. She withdrew her fist and sank to the floor. Tightening her fist she ploughed into the snow at her feet, the demons flung themselves sideways to avoid the debris. Again and again Elsa shot wintry projectiles at them without sufficiently driving them off.

Finally, with her chest heaving with fear, frustration and anger she flung herself toward the door. It was open. She could break free! Urging herself in a run, she turned on her heels with her hair flying. The demons had seen her break for freedom… a spilt-second to early for Elsa's liking. They too ran for the door. The door seemed to be getting further and further away. Elsa's heels started to slip and skid, and they were getting closer, closer, closer… Suddenly there was a sharp twang! A crossbow shaft sliced through the mist stirred up by Elsa's footsteps. The cold metal buried itself between her shoulder blades, a cruel burning crackled up her spine. Elsa collapsed. Shaking. Tears. A torrent of darkness erupted from her heart… and swallowed her whole.

Jubilant from their victory, the demons sneered at the crumpled body of the Ice Queen. The convulsions had ceased. Limp, weak and bleeding Elsa lay dementedly at her murderer's feet. Her head had lolled to one side, and trident-like prongs stuck out from her chest. Breathing feebly, Elsa's eyes stared glassily at the demons black waistcoats. Black sand swirled around. Footsteps. Darkness.

" Throw her in here. They'll never go searching for the witch's body anyway. Come on, one, two, three!" The demons laid Elsa's body on the snow bank. The pained rise and fall of her bust went unchecked as, and on the count of three, they shoved her into the river. A suffocating dark wrapped itself lovingly against Elsa. She was going to die… the demons hadn't finished the job… but the glacial water would do it for them. It was the end.

Jack Frost had seen them parade Elsa's body down from her palace. He'd seen the protruding crossbow shaft and was steeling himself. If he'd not restricted himself to stay within the shadows then maybe she would be alive. Gripping his staff angrily he hovered over the inky black water. This girl, or Queen of sorts was sinking deeper. He could still see her anaemic form, her pallid face drifted into view: her eyes closed to the world.

He was resolved, " No! I've got to do something!" Jack dived headfirst into the water, staff and all. Propelling himself forward he squinted through the murky water. His staff lit up with eerie green pallor. There she was, suspended in time. Her delicate dress billowed angelically but as Jack tugged her wrist he realised something was dreadfully wrong.

Pulling the withered angel from the water, Jack hastily pressed an ear against her chest. He waited… holding his breath… but the only heartbeat here… was his own. A creature of anguish wailed in the pit of his heart. It was too late. Jack hesitantly tried waving his staff over her but…nothing happened. Grasping with both hands, he willed for colour to appear in Elsa's face. It didn't. Please let her live, I didn't have these dreams for nothing. I thought being here with her tonight but stop that happening! Please, help her!


End file.
